THEOCAST: boys drinking deep at the hose of Michael Horton

Just became aware of a Reformed podcast. It's called Theocast. Their main concern seems to be Christians making efforts to develop in the faith. They think this is not only stupid but dangerous. It's dangerous to make efforts. This means Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progess is dangerous and stupid because Christian makes efforts on the Way to the Celestial City. These Theocast boys apparently think Christian is supposed to ride a magic carpet called Faith along the Way to the Celestial City.

"Faith, bypass Vanity Fair. Keep on the Way. Good, faith, good," the Theocast boys obediently say. (Giving their obedience to Michael "You don't do anything! the faith is 100% objective!" Horton, ultimately, and not the Bible.)

Meanwhile, Christian struggles through Vanity Fair, catching all manner of shit from the world, but developing, being tempered, in the process. While the Theocast boys ride their magic carpet, Faith, on down the Way to the Celestial City.

What is the difference between Christian and the Theocast boys? The Theocast boys are shallow and inexperienced and not tempered to any degree.

Their deeper problem is they don't understand how to talk about sin or will. They've never been taught a language that would make that clear to them. They've been to 'seminary', but they've never acquired understanding of what the Bible teaches.

There's also a side issue here where all these types seem to have issued out of churches and church experience where they were told if they didn't have a buzz cut and drink Pepsi from an actual bottle while wearing short-sleaved, button-up white shirts they would go to hell. So because those non-biblical requirements were put on them they are now rebelling against all that by saying you don't do anything when you are a Christian. Do they understand regeneration? Who knows. Once regenerated you are able to make efforts. Prior to regeneration you are able to sin, unable to not sin. After regeneration you are able to sin, able to not sin. See the difference there?

And they struggle with a lack of understanding of will. They don't know the categories of will such as self-will vs. God's will. Acting from God's will doesn't mean you don't make any effort. It's God-enabled effort, yet it's effort none-the-less. I forget the exact J. I. Packer phrase he used in the chapter on Sanctification in his Concise Theology, but I think it was God-enabled effort. It's probably a better phrase than that, but I don't have the book at hand.

For instance, in the midst of a difficult event (when normally, in your fallen state, you would explode in resentment) to act from God's will will seem like a type of non-action, yet it is effort never-the-less. To be able in the moment, a difficult moment, a storm of a moment, to gather yourself, separate yourself from the immediate external noise and inner chaos, and just simply wait, wait on the Lord is the phrase. But just to have it in you to be able to step back and not be captured by the world and the noise and the violence and idiocy and whatever is going on...THAT, that is ability to act from God's will. It is NOT an ability given to you at your ritual water baptism, Theocast boys. You anti-pilgrims. You have to work on it, develop it, cultivate it, think about it, practice it, DO it.

Stop listening to Horton and R. Scott Clark. They are shallow. Get your basic Reformed doctrine from the Puritans (yes, they exist). Seminaries in general don't teach the practice of the faith. And if they - or you - dissuade Christians from making any effort to practice the faith they - and you - become demons.

Jesus said be awake (that takes development, practice, effort), and love your enemies (again, something that requires practice and experience...effort).

Paul said now it is high time to awake out of sleep. He is not referring to head-on-pillow sleep. The sleep he refers to requires effort to get out of. To be more awake in the moment requires effort. To act from God's word rather than from life influences requires effort.

Final note: maybe stop lecturing until you know what you're talking about.